Changes in Essential Oil Composition and Leaf traits of Basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) Affected by Bio-stimulators / fertilizers Application

Basil (Ocimum basilicum L.)، a member of the Lamiaceae family، has traditionally been used as a medicinal plant in the treatment of headaches، coughs، diarrhea، constipation، warts، worms، and kidney malfunctions. To investigate the foliar application effects of bio-stimulators and bio-fertilizers on morphological and phytochemical traits of basil (Ocimum basilicum L.). Bio-stimulators in three commercial formulations of aminolforte، kadostim and fosnutren (with concentration of 1. 5 L. ha-1) through foliar application، and bio-fertilizers in three commercial formulations of nitroxin، super-nitro plus and barvar II (with concentration of 0. 5 L. ha-1) through seed inoculation were considered as two studied factors. The results showed that the interaction effect of bio-stimulators and bio - fertilizers was significant (p<0. 01) on all of studied parameters except of chlorophyll content (SPAD value). The highest leaf fresh weight (25. 47 g/plant) and leaf dry weight (6. 48 g/plant) were obtained under fosnutren and nitroxin treatment، also maximum leaf number (206. 33) was recorded in aminolforte and nitroxin treatment. The highest leaf area (1302. 2 mm2/plant) was observed in kadostim and nitroxin treatment. Also results showed that the highest content of essential oil (0. 43%) was obtained in aminolforte and nitroxin، methyl chavicol (37. 13%) in fosnutren and super-nitro plus، geranial (29. 05%) and caryophylene (6. 66%) in kadostim and nitroxin، and carvacrol (31. 60%) in fosnutren and nitroxin treated plants. In general، the best treatment to improve growth and phytochemical traits of Ocimum basilicum were kadostim×nitroxin and fosnutren×nitroxin.